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About

Claude Phipps is a researcher whose work spans the innovative intersection of directed energy systems and aerospace propulsion, with particular expertise in laser-driven vehicles and power beaming technologies. His research has explored how concentrated light energy — whether from lasers or photovoltaic systems — can be harnessed to propel vehicles and systems across environments ranging from Earth's atmosphere to deep space. Among his most recognized contributions is his involvement with the MClimber project at the University of Michigan's Student Space Systems Fabrication Laboratory, which developed a prototype robotic climber for NASA's Power Beaming Challenge, utilizing telescope-based power delivery for space elevator applications — a paper that has garnered 31 citations. His foundational investigations into laser-driven propulsion, published in 2002 and 2003, collectively accumulating 35 citations, helped establish theoretical and experimental frameworks for using laser ablation with water-based overlay systems to achieve spacecraft propulsion, demonstrating the repetitive viability of such systems through both computational modeling and hands-on experimentation. Phipps' body of work reflects a forward-thinking approach to unconventional propulsion and energy transfer, making his research particularly valuable for students and engineers exploring next-generation space access and directed-energy technologies.